BLoOM Magazine

ALWAYS EXP AN D

TRANSPORTATION

CULTURE/SOCIETY

STEREOTYPES

TRAVEL TIPS

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TRIER

WHEN YOU FORGET, JUST REMEMBER

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CORFU ENCHANTED BY TURQUOSE

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DUBLIN IRELAND IN IRELAND

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TRIER HOME AWAY FROM HOME

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TABLE OF CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS Travel Tips The Art of Packing Lightly

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Transportation Train Yourself

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Art + Music Jan Durina

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Culture and Society Country to Country

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FEATURES

PHOTO ESSAYS Seen

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Good Eats

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Trier, Germany: When You Forget, Just Remember

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Corfu: Enchanted by Turquoise

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Dublin: Ireland in Ireland

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Trier, Germany: Home Away From Home

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TIP S TRAVEL

THE ART OF PACKING LIGHTLY If you plan on taking small trips around the world, by plane or train, consider traveling with a single carry on bag. Learn how to pack two weeks worth of clothes into one bag! Here are some tips I learned from traveling seven different countries and still making the best of my trip in style.

START HERE >> FOLLOW TSA RULES!

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ONE SET OF PJS

Don’t pack any liquids over 100ml.

Bring only one sleeping outfit and re-

Follow that 311 rule, especially if you

wear it the entire trip (assuming this

are using RyanAir!

trip is less than a month long).

Pack only one or

SHOES AS YOUR

two pairs of shoes.

STYLE FOUNDATION

There’s no need to waste the needed

Base all your outfits off of the upcoming

space on shoes! Wear the heaviest pair

weather and build your outfit from the

of shoes when travelling.

shoes on up.

PACKING LIST BASIC ITEMS:

HYGIENE:

Medication

Umbrella

Toothbrush

Cleanser

Wallet/Cash

House Keys

Toothpaste

Moisturizer

Credit Cards

Journal

Dental Floss

Lip Balm

Debit Cards

Cell Phone

Mouthwash

Razor

Traveller’s Cheques

Chargers

Saline Solution

Feminine hygiene

Passport & visas

Laptop

Deodorant

Make-up

Travel Tickets

Camera

Shampoo

Make-up Remover

Confirmations

MP3 Player

Conditioner

Q-Tips

Adaptors

Headphones

Brush

Tissues

Glasses

Eye Contacts

Hair Accessories

Hand Sanitizer

YOU AREN’T VISITING

DOn’T OVERPACK!

PLAN AHEAD

AN ALIEN PLANET

Or pack exactly the limited weight.

Weigh your bags before you go to the airport.

Make sure to leave 1kg of space for

It saves the hassle of reorganizing.

Don’t forget that most places sell the toiletries that you’ll need.

gifts and souvenirs.

Pack three or four

Pack the same

DON’T ALWAYS BRING

neutral outfits

essentials every

TOWELS, Check first!

that can be switched around to create

time you travel

Try to see if the place you are staying at gives

different outfits. Only pack clothing pieces that can be paired at least two times with another piece.

by creating a list of the things you use every day. Keep in mind you can buy products at local drug stores

out towels. If they do, don’t pack yours.

If they don’t then pack a small to medium sized one. You can also bring scarves.

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TRANSPORTATIO N

TRAIN YOURSELF

Basics of how to read a train schedule Whether showing up to the train station for a spontaneous day trip, or arriving to a layover destination just minutes before your next train is scheduled to leave the station, being able to read a train schedule correctly can mean the difference between getting where you want to go and having to wait for your adventure to begin. Most train schedules have very similar layouts, so you should be able to relay this information to those in different countries, but here are a few handy tricks to save you even more time and hassle in your railroad endeavors:

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TIME The time schedule is broken into hours, and then into specific departure times within those hours. If you are running late, it’s possible that you’ll get lucky and the train will be running late, but considering the rest of that train’s schedule for the day relies on it departing each location on time, this is pretty unlikely so be careful. Don’t go in the station looking for a snack two minutes before your train is to leave.. that’s asking for trouble.

TRAIN ID

DESTINATION

GATE

Pay attention to the train’s ID number.

It is very possible that if trains are running off-schedule, that another train could be waiting at your gate around the same time that your train should be there. It’s all too easy to jump on a train and end up at an unkown destination just because you think you’re in a perfect world, and everything is where it should be.

Also, if you are trying to save time, pay attention to identifiers before the numbers. In Germany, there were trains that stopped in several small cities before the destination (RE), ones that just stopped in a few large cities (RB), and ones that traveled at high speed simply from one location to the destination and did not stop in-

Each destination along a single train’s route should be listed in order on the chart, with the arrival times for each listed. At the end of each list is the final destination in bold, with the expected final arrival time. This allows you to plan for different layovers if you would like to make stops along the way. Make sure you look at these arrival times, because if you’re not wanting to take the scenic route, then there could very easily be a train that leaves later than one you see, but arrives at the destination sooner due to having to make less stops.

Gates are very important to know, and it can be especially beneficial if you know in advance, like you would if you had a specific train schedule for your route that shows each layover. If you have a very short layover, you might literally have to run from one gate to another, so knowing them ahead of time will help because you can have a little better sense of how fast you will have to run. They are listed on all train schedules too though, so if worse comes to worst, just take a glance and you can be on your way.

between (ICE).

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T R IE R,

GE RM A NY

BY JOHN Looking back, the nostalgia treats me well. I can remember my first morning in Germany. I had a room in the top floor of a small hotel on the corner of Kaiserstrasse and it was time to get up and get going.

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I was living in a dream as I walked downstairs and ate breakfast in my new clothes I had bought before I left, they still smelled like the store. I had my boots and my hat, my sweater and my soul. All of the food was new and perfect and the place looked like a medieval castle. I looked over and saw a dog lying next to its owners at another table and in that moment I realized where I was. Memories and context followed me as I walked the streets by myself.

Looking back, there is a feeling that I can’t recreate in my mind. I had to be there to feel it. The signs were different, and the sky was a magical fog. It felt like I was starting all over, again. It was quiet and I was alone and I didn’t know anybody. Sometimes the thing we fear the most is exactly what we need to feel alive. I returned to my room and fell asleep for the rest of the day. I woke up at 10PM and watched music videos on MTV until 8AM, check out time.

Music was the only thing I could find that I enjoyed in both languages. Some songs were familiar, some were new. The sun was bright when it was time to leave.

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Looking back, I lived on a mountain. It was far above the city, sloped with nature. My building was red and there was a courtyard in the middle of the complex. I used to open my window when it rained. At night the moon was bright and the city looked like fire. There were fields of wheat, wild boars and white flowers that I used to take pictures of. Time stopped quite often when I was up there. I used to run in the sun and look out on the city below, the river, and the people. Push harder, push harder. Up the hill. Rest and observe. Sometimes I’d lay in the grass and let the sun beat down on me.

Looking back, the people I met were special. They live so far but I knew them always. France, Slovakia, Greece, Syria, Spain, Germany. Magical nights and days where two became one. Technology brought us together when nature tore us apart. Sometimes we didn’t even speak but we felt. If there’s one thing I learned, it is that feelings are real.

T R IER ,

G ER MAN Y

When you forget, just remember.

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CO RF U,

G R EEC E

BY BAILEY AS THE PLANE LIFTED OFF THE GROUND, FLEW OVER THE LITTLE ISLAND of Corfu, and set its coordinates towards Germany, I couldn’t help but reflect on everything I experienced and all the people I had met during the past week. Little did I know how many magical moments the island would be holding for me. I’m pretty sure that I dreamt the entire trip because there is no way that it could have been real. I was already feeling like a true Grecian.

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I WAS WITH THE LOVELY SHANNON AND MY AMAZING TRAVELING BUDDY VORANOUTH. After our arrival on our first night in Corfu, we couch surfed with two British guys named Chris and Basil, who were cousins, and lived in a part of the island called Gouvia. Chris, even though he is British, grew up on Corfu so he was pretty much a greek at heart. They were very sweet and took us out for our first Greek meal. It was very delicious, complete with Greek salad, tatziki, souvlaki, and dessert. It’s a good thing that Greeks like to eat plenty, because we were very hungry!

FIRST EXPERIENCES ON OUR FIRST FULL DAY, WE WENT TO A BEACH CALLED Paleokastritsa, where the water is the bluest of blues and clearer than glass. We laid out in the sun and went in the water but it was very cold. There were little stores and food markets so we did a little shopping and bought some apricots that we ate on the beach. All of us had a bit of a sunburn that first day! Later that evening Chris and Basil took us out again, to a very romantic looking restaurant that overlooked the ocean. We were the only customers there, so it was very peaceful as we watched the sun set (and probably drank a little too much wine).

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“Paleokastritsa, where the water is the bluest of blues and clearer than glass�

After this, we went to the bar that both of them own in the middle of the island and met a few of their friends. We talked to a lot of cool people that night, and really enjoyed our time with Chris and Basil.

The next day we met up with our next couch surfing host, Anastasia. She took us to a nice coffee shop and then for a nice tour of the Old Fortress in the middle of the city. Then Shannon, Voranouth and I went shopping in the city center. There are a lot of good touristy shops with really friendly Greek people.

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THE BEST THING I’VE EVER EATEN WE HAPPENED UPON THIS HEAVENLY BAKERY WITH THE sweetest greek baker lady named Rosa. she was exactly as you would imagine a Greek baker, with crazy hair, covered in flour, and completely lovable. She had about every kind of baklava you could want, in any shape, size, and flavor. It was a tad expensive (especially since it was priced by weight, and she just about doused everything with a pound of thick syrup), but I don’t regret it one bit. It was to die for. We ended up going there two more times throughout the rest of the week! I am going to dream about that baklava for years, and revisit Rosa’s bakery again if it’s the last thing I do.

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The view from Ana’s sunroof

GOUVIA PALEOKASTRITSA

OLD TOWN OF CORFU

GLYFADA PELEKAS

Later that night we went and hung out at the Old Fortress again and looked at the lights from the city before it started raining on us. Thankfully it stopped raining the next day when Ana took us to her favorite beach, Glyfada. This one had more waves and there weren’t many people. It was so relaxing. There’s not many places where you can have an entire tropical beach to enjoy without all of the hordes of people! Voranouth and I made a Jayhawk sand sculpture, and it was pretty impressive, if I do say so myself.

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“Corfu: an isle where mountains meet the sea, a lighter purple on the blue; and grey-green olive trees, sun kissed, Show silver glinting through.�

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DID YOU KNOW? + Corfu is home to an impressive three to four million olive trees.

+ The island has been inhabited since 1300 BC. + There are at least 115 beaches on Corfu. + The island is also famous for their Kumquats, as it is only one of two places in all of Europe where they are grown.

+ Corfu has been highly desired throughout history, because of it’s easy connection between Italy and the mainland of Greece.

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EXPLORING AFTER THIS WE WENT AND GOT SOME pitas, which is to grecians what hamburgers are to americans. They were usually filled with pork, french fries (sounds weird, but it’s very good), tzatziki (a dill spread) and usually ketchup or mustard. Then Shannon talked us into doing a little hiking up Mount Pantokrator! We didn’t have much luck finding a trail but we did end up walking through a very old olive tree farm. (Most likely private property, but we were feeling adventurous.) The trees were very old and very beautiful, and there were so many of them! After we decided we had obtained enough bug bites and scratches on our legs from thorny plants, we found a nice restaurant overlooking part of the city and the ocean.

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“Greece really had some of the best produce I have ever eaten.�

It was gorgeous. Of course we had more greek salad.

Never had I ever liked tomatoes or cucumbers until this

people for years. Couch surfing allows

trip! Greece really had some of the best produce I have ever

you to meet some great, welcoming

eaten. Later that evening we decided to go with Ana to the

people that make traveling ten times

opening night at this bar in Ipsos. We even happened to run

more fun. We had a really fun time

into Chris and Basil there (which somehow I knew was bound

dancing with everyone, and stayed out

to happen). Strangely, it was like we had known all of these

until about three in the morning. The next day we said goodbye to Ana and made our way to the hostel we booked, which was a little farther away and isolated on a beach called Pelekas.

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THE SUNROCK HOSTEL THE HOSTEL WAS OWNED BY A HUSBAND AND WIFE WITH A LOT

That night at the hostel we had a communal dinner with

of children, ranging in age from twenty-five to about four,

everyone staying at the hostel (complete with Greek salad

so it was very much a family environment. They were kind

of course). There were three students from Washington, and

enough to pick us up (because frankly, we were slightly

they were actually the first Americans we met besides us in

confused with the strange Corfu bus system). When we

Corfu! The hostel had a nice community feeling to it. We were

arrived we first met some girls who were hired to work at the

able to talk about cultural differences, swap stories about our

hostel for a few weeks, one Australian and two Canadians.

travels, and just get to know each other a little more. It was

Then we met an Italian and a Spaniard that were staying

a blast. The family that owns the hostel were very interactive

there too. We explored a little near the hostel and found a

as well, and gave us lots of great information on the area and

rocky beach that we spent about an hour at.

ideas of what we could do for the next few days.

The view from the Sunrock Hostel

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SOAKING UP SUN THE NEXT MORNING VORANOUTH AND I WENT TO A CLAY MUD beach while Shannon went hiking. At this beach you can cover yourself with this clay that you dig up from the water, and you let it dry so that it exfoliates your skin. Too bad we didn’t have enough room in our bags, or I would have brought a whole bunch of it back! Later we went back to Pelekas beach and laid out some more. (If you haven’t figured it out yet, Corfu is truly pure paradise.)

On the beach, we talked with the Italian, who was one of the most interesting people that we met. He could have gone on for hours asking us all of these strange questions about the American economy and education system. He also claimed to “know a lot about Oklahoma because he’s a huge fan of Carrie Underwood fan.”

Somehow he was also unimpressed with the turquoise color of the water in Corfu, though I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more blue than that.

Needless to say we found ourselves rolling our eyes at him more than once.

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so sweet! Then the two of us talked for awhile in “spanglish” about travels and our occupations. (I like to think that it was nice for him to talk to someone

FIREFLIES

else other than the Italian, since he

THAT NIGHT WE HAD PITAS AGAIN, JUST AS DELICIOUS. AFTER IT was dark all of us staying in the hostel went for a walk in the beach. At one point we saw a firefly and everyone around us freaked out because they had never seen one before… even the three students from Washington! It was really adorable. While we were walking on the beach, I talked to the Spanish guy. He knew about as much English as I know

was the only other person who knew Spanish in our group.) Turns out he was a fireman in Barcelona, and at that point I’m pretty sure I had completely fallen in love with him. He also had the appearance of Heath Ledger with dark hair and dark skin, so I don’t know what’s not to like.

Spanish (which isn’t a whole lot, just the basics). He was talking to the Italian kid for a while in Spanish and I was just attempting to listen in. Later he told me that he was trying to speak slowly for me so that I could understand. He was

“At this point, I think I officially fell in love

with the island.” htuonarov—

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TITANIUM PANDAS THE NEXT DAY WE WERE PLANNING ON GOING ON A BOAT TRIP, BUT THE WAVES WERE TOO ROUGH SO WE HAD TO figure out what else we wanted to do. We eventually decided to rent a car and drive around the island.

It was one of our best decisions yet, because we had so much fun! The three of us went with the two Canadian girls, Maria and Josie, and the Australian girl, Sarah. She was the only one eligible to drive, so we deemed her the driver besides it being her first time ever driving on the right side of the road. She got a little close to the right sometimes, but we made it without any scratches on the car, thankfully! We received this tiny little Fiat Panda that we had to squeeze all six of us into. While we were driving we sang along to the radio and called ourselves the “Titanium Pandas.�

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First we went to a lookout near Pelekas and we could see a huge majority of the surrounding area. beautiful landscape.

It was such a

We drove some more and found a

restaurant that made us spinach pies, and then found a few other good lookout points.

We made our way to

Paleokastritsta again and went for a little boat tour into the caves around that area. We had a blast; it was like we had all been best friends for ages. Then we went into the city center and bought ice cream and walked through the Old Fortress again. Lots of fun pictures were taken!

Striking our boy band pose. From the left: Josie, Voranouth, Maria, Shannon, Sarah, me.

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CLIFF DIVING THE NEXT DAY WE HAD ALL MORNING AND AFTERNOON BEFORE OUR FLIGHT, SO IN THE morning we decided to go cliff jumping. The hostel owners’ thirteen year old son took us to a spot where we could jump, and we all did it, one by one! It was about fifteen to twenty feet tall; pretty scary, but it was very exhilarating and a big bonding experience for all of us before all going on our separate ways.

It was sad to say goodbye. I really enjoyed the three days at the hostel and I hope one day to meet up with some of these people again. Corfu gave me some of the best experiences I could ever have in a single week. I learned so much from all of the people that I met and got in touch with nature and it’s beauty. Look out Greece, it won’t be long before I am headed back your way!

BY JOHN

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P H O T O

ESSAY

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DU B LIN ,

IR EL A ND

BY COLLEEN GROWING UP WITH THE LAST NAME IRELAND, I CAN SAY ONE OF THE MOST COMMON FIRST questions I get when meeting someone is along the lines of, “Is that really your last name? Have you ever actually been to Ireland?” For the first 21 years of my life the answer was always a resounding sigh accompanied by an unwilling “nooooo.” Insert pouty face. When I found out I’d actually be studying abroad, I made myself a promise that no matter if it was difficult or not, I would make it to my namesake if it was the last thing I did, and I finally made it. It went something like this:

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Flying over the coast of Ireland.

TROUBLED BEGINNINGS DUBLIN WAS THE SECOND DESTINATION ON ONE OF MY

After anxiously waiting, talking to a tram driver and getting

several trips with Bailey and Voranouth, following the

directions, taking a shuttle bus to another tram station, all-

illustrious London, England. Little did I know how close

out sprinting between our stops, nervously counting the

we would come to possibly not making it at all. After a late

seconds between each stop, having to dodge a crazy woman

last night in London, we were supposed to wake up around

wanting to take a survey and bolting from one end of the large

5am so we could have time to get ready, take the multiple

Stansted airport to the complete opposite end while wearing

Underground trams along with a shuttle tram to the airport,

eight layers of clothes, we made it to the gate as the last

and have enough time to go through security before our 8am

people were getting checked in. Our hearts were racing to say

flight. First blunder: none of us woke up from our original

the least, but the relief and excitement that came with it only

alarms. After Bailey happened to wake up and get us up,

built the anticipation for our next location.

we had ten minutes to make it to the underground station

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for our tram. Luckily, we made it. Unfortunately our tram

I remember being in the air over the Irish Sea, and being able

route happened to be under construction that morning only.

to see both the coast of England behind me and the coast

Passport after being stamped in Dublin.

of Ireland getting closer by the second through the early morning haze. My first step on Irish land honestly made me feel like I’d taken three shots of espresso in the time it took

L AY E R I N G U P

me to walk down the stairs of the plane. Excited would be an understatement.

One of the most helpful things I learned while travelling on Ryanair was how to

The next three days, my excitement was reciprocated more

get the most out of the very small weight limit

than I even expected. We stayed in West Dublin with our

that is allowed for each passenger. With a 20 kg

friend Aoife, who we met on our first trip to Luxembourg

limit, that leaves little room for even the most

for an Experimental Design workshop. The weather was

essential neccessities. The trick is making use

absolutely beautiful, and so untraditionally warm that the

of the fact that you can be wearing whatever you want and that doesn’t get accounted for in the weight limit. Moral of the story: layer up!! When boarding the flight to Dublin, I was wearing three tank tops, three regular t-shirts, two sweaters, a scarf, my jacket, and I was sneaky enough to hide my Kindle and DSLR underneath all those layers, and none was the wiser.

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LEFT: Christ Church Cathedral RIGHT: Sights along the coast of Howth

entire city was outside during our visit. Walking down Grafton Street, we saw live music and crafters selling goods from their carts, performers and some tourists like ourselves.

When we visited Trinity College we happened upon a student performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream outside on the lawn. We went to the Risk Museum, saw so much beautiful architecture

and

historical

churches,

sunbathed

with

hundreds of others in picturesque parks, and explored Temple Bar and other quarters of inner-Dublin. Though those were all a lot of fun and memorable, the two things I can’t forget about Ireland was the scenery and the beer.

DAY ON THE COAST THE FIRST DAY WE WERE THERE WE DECIDED TO TAKE A spontaneous mini-trip to Howth, a small village about an hour from Dublin, on the coast of Ireland. Aoife said she had just been the day before and went cliff jumping and swimming in the sea, even though the water was still frigid. When we arrived, we set out on a hike along the cliffs of the coast.

Wearing sandals, I was improperly dressed to say the least, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. We waded through extremely thick brush and walked on a path of boulders and gravel that was about six to twelve inches wide in order to get to the main path near the edge of the cliffs, but when we cleared it and the sea panned out before me, I was dumbfounded.

It was some of the most beautiful scenery I’d ever seen. The land was so green and vibrant and the sea spanned into the distance until it hit the clear blue sky above it. For the entire two hours that we hiked along the edge, I just couldn’t put my camera away because I didn’t want to forget it or miss a single

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detail of the beauty around me. When we returned to the port and saw all the fishing and sailboats, it was almost dusk and way the light reflected off the surface of the water and illuminated all the boats didn’t seem real to me. I didn’t want to leave, but we got to see completely different scenic landscape the following day. We went to Bray, another coastal town with a

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LEFT & ABOVE: The coast of Bray.

panorama of the sea, and then on to Enniskerry. We sat on the outskirts of the Powerscourt golf course and picnicked for lunch, surrounded by mountains in the distance while we picked flowers and killed time making head wreaths for fun.

I’ll never forget the beauty of the land that we saw while we visited.

IRISHMAN’S WATER BEING PART IRISH, IT SEEMS TO BE EXPECTED THAT DRINKING runs in my blood. It’s a story that I can’t necessarily disagree with. There are few things better than sitting down with a good beer and friends and spending the night in alcoholinduced bliss. The beer in Dublin was on another level. The second night we were there, we all went out for dinner and drinks afterwards and they were so good that I would’ve gladly stayed out all night if it hadn’t been for our long day of exploring. Walking into Porterhouse Brewery, I knew we’d made a good choice.

It was three levels of stained wood and copper vessels that screamed tradition. We got a sample selection of their beers and sat down to listen to some live music. The head on each Beer at Porterhouse Brewery.

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of the beers was what blew me away from the beginning. I’ve never seen foam so beautiful. It looked like a marshmallow cloud that was just resting on top of a dark and delicious thirst-quencher. Each of the beers had powerful and unique flavors that set them apart. After moving on to mixed drinks we ended our visit at Porterhouse. The next day’s big visit was to the Guinness Storehouse. This beer experience was just as amazing, but in a different way. The storehouse was brilliantly designed and educated you through the entire production process in an engaging and interesting way, which I really appreciated. But at the end of the visit, we got to

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go to the top level and take part in The Guinness Academy,

water they use, but of course it helps that it was fresh out of

where we learned how to properly pour a pint of Guinness. We

the barrel this time around. Before visiting, I wouldn’t have

graduated with honors and celebrated by downing some more

said I thought of Ireland for producing such fine brews, but I

of the national alcohol of choice. It was so much smoother

left leaving happy that I was proved wrong.

than it is when you get it in the US. I think their secret is the

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ESSAY P H O T O

BY BAILEY

Kartoffelkloesse in Trier, Germany

Croque Madame in Paris, France

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Currywurst in Trier, Germany

Gnocchi and Squid Ink Pasta in Venice, Italy

Fish & Chips in London, England

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Ribeye Sandwich in Dublin, Ireland

Breakfast Sandwich in London, England

Pizza in Venice, Italy

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Spinach and Cheese Pie in Corfu, Greece

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Tapas in Barcelona, Spain

Gelato in Venice, Italy

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Pesto in Florence, Italy

Homemade Pasta & Salad in Dublin, Ireland

Bratkartoffeln in Trier, Germany

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Baklava in Corfu, Greece

Chicken with Mushrooms in Paris, France

Pastries in Paris, France

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T R IE R,

GE RM A NY

BY VORANOUTH Trier will always be my second home and it was for five short months.

From the decision to study abroad and the act of buying my round trip plane ticket, I faced an uncertain future that changed my life and dramatically altered my perspective.

They always say to go outside your comfort zone to learn more about yourself, and I can vouch that it’s true.

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I wasn’t always interested in Germany. In fact, I had a chance to take a German class in high school, but chose to take French instead. I thought to myself, “I will never go to Germany anyway.” I always saw myself in big cities like Paris, Tokyo, London, Seoul, or Rome, but little did I know.

Germany wasn’t in my mind at all, until I heard of the study abroad program that my university offered for visual communication students. If I went to Germany, I could graduate on time and if not, I wouldn’t be able to. After much research on Germany, it grew on me.

I’ve been to Europe before, but only because my mom took me when I was very young. I had no recollection of it at all.

The last memory I had of even going out of country was to Laos, a Southeast Asian country. I figured that I would love to travel and learn about other cultures. If I wanted to go out and do something new, now was the golden time.

The decision to go was already set in my mind. However, the main problem was funding. I spent a good amount of time writing and applied for my school’s study abroad scholarships and the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship; it paid off in the end because I received both. I was very excited and thankful because now I had a full ride to study abroad. Without these scholarships, I wouldn’t have been able to make the best decision in my life (at least the best decision so far).

EXPECTATIONS I had mixed emotions of fear, excitement, and curiosity before going out of the country. I had few expectations because I don’t like to be disappointed.

However, I expected my roommates to be nice, my school to be different somehow, and that I would have some sort of culture shock.

One of the first views of Trier I saw was of the Mosel.

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THE CITY I always tell those who want to study in Trier that Germany is the perfect country to transition into without having too much of a culture shock. Although there are many differences, the Germans are nice and the country is well developed. The streets are clean and the food is great. The German bread is out of this world and after traveling seven different countries; I conclude that Germany’s bread is the best. The city will always hold a special place in my heart.

Day Three (03.07.13): First Day in Trier

“it was like a dream.” sdlonyer nhoj—

And it truly was. Especially when we drove into the city of Trier. It was beautiful and nothing like what we have back home in Kansas. We got to Trier at 5:30 PM Trier time, which is seven hours ahead of Kansas! I was jetlagged like no other. When I got home, my roommate Michael showed me around, but quickly had to leave because of his work. This left me at home waiting for Esad, the person whose room I was taking, to come back and give me the keys to my new place. Esad showed me around the town at night and we ate at an Italian pizza/ice cream parlor. I live right on the edge of the city center, so everything is very close. Trier is a wonderful small city! I do have another roommate whom I haven’t met because he is visiting his parents in another city.

His name is Stefan and today is his birthday!

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Trier flats are amazing, beautiful, and colorful. This is the road I walked when I visited Bailey at her flat.

I was supposed to wake up at 9 AM and even set up multiple

to find a store called the DM, which is a drug store. I also

alarms. I ended up waking up at 12PM. This was not good

found a place called Rossmann, which had everything just

because I had errands to run and stood up John because we

like a mini market! I bought a German phone from a place

had no other way of communicating to each other. Since I

called Saturn. I asked a woman if she knew where the store

wasn’t able to connect with John to run errands, I ended up

Saturn was and she didn’t quite understand until I gestured

walking the city by myself. My goal was to buy towels, bed

a phone, then she was like, “Oh yeah! Sat-URN!” with a

sheets, lotion, body wash, and whatever else I needed. It

German accent. She didn’t understand my American accent

was hard finding these things because I didn’t know where

although our words are pretty similar!

to look. I tried asking some people, but some were very rude (often older people) and others were extremely friendly and

Later today I was able to meet up with John; it was wonderful,

willing to help. This must be how foreigners feel when they

almost amazing to finally talk to someone about my findings

come to the U.S. It was very tough and I am so thankful I was

and all the new things I’ve learned and realized. Like how the

able to receive help.

light switches and toilet flushers in Trier were large buttons or how weird it felt to not be able to speak to someone and

The only place I was able to remember as a landmark is

be new. When I got home Michael made me a traditional

called the Porta Nigra, which is a 2nd century Roman gate.

German dinner. He made potatoes with spinach and an over-

They weren’t lying when they say you walk everywhere in

easy egg, and it was delicious! I also got to taste my first non-

Europe, you really do, especially when I haven’t received my

alcoholic wheat beer. It was still gross to me since I don’t

bus pass. Trier doesn’t have anything like a Walmart or Target

drink at all, but I’m sure all of you would love it! Who knows,

like we do, it was tough figuring out where I needed to get

maybe I’ll get better at this. Yesterday I got to try my first

things. I had trouble translating the word “Towel” and other

German Red Wine, which was very sweet at first, but when it

things like that. However, I was able to get some help from

moved down to your throat it was bitter.

the guys at the pizza place I went to last night. They told me

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EDUCATION DIFFERENCES The University of Kansas has a rigorous program for visual communications, which differed dramatically from what the Hochshule Trier had for their viscom students. Both schools expected quality work each at a different pace; KU design studios are often three hours long, meet twice a week, and consist of three or four projects throughout the semester while the Hochshule design classes are usually three-hour long classes, meets once a week, and has one major project for the entire semester.

I don’t sleep very much during the school year; averaging about 15-25 hours of sleep per week and sometimes not sleeping at all. In Trier, classes were dangerously laid back. It was weird for my body to adjust in getting the normal amount of sleep. I had a surplus of free time and I didn’t know what to do with it. This was an eye opener for me as I slowly realized that I had no hobbies and I hadn’t socialized in quite a long time. Over the past three years in college, my anxiety developed and so did the stress that came along with it.

Because I had time to enjoy the smaller things in life I didn’t feel anxious. I caught myself wanting to do my homework and it was weird.

The classes in Trier allowed students to take full control of what the project would be and the concepts behind it. There weren’t many restrictions put on the project unless you put the restrictions on yourself. You had to manage your own time and decide when you wanted to come in to get feedback and critiques. For the most part, students showed up to classes unless they were traveling. My class schedule went from a packed four-day week in the States to Meeting only twice a week for two to four hours of the day in Trier.

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THE CULTURE SHOCK

Day 5 (03.10.13): Sunday, All is Open!

Because Trier is majority Catholic, many stores are closed Sunday.

However, this Sunday was one of the few Sundays where all the stores are open! Of course I was going to take advantage of this and go out. I’m pretty sure I’ve been downtown every single day since I’ve been here. Anyway, I went downtown with Bailey for groceries and we didn’t know where to go. Luckily, we ran into Mitch and he took us into the Galeria because there is a grocery market inside of it. I bought fruschetta mix, which is a collection of herbs and spices for creating a sauce, from a store called Wajos (Wah-Yos). All you have to do is add olive oil! Today was also the day I got to meet my second roomie! Woohoo! We had a nice quiet night and I was even able to fall asleep on time (around 12 or 1 AM). It seems that Europeans like to air dry their clothes. It is interesting to me because I actually despise air drying my clothes.

Day 65 (05.09.13): Ascension Day Every store is closed due to Ascension Day; I think this is when Jesus ascends? No Idea. When I found out, I thought to myself, “Man, Germany has so many holidays that it is ridiculous,” BUT no major complaints here. Just used to the life where everything is open at all times except Christmas and Thanksgiving. It’s very interesting because Europe is heavily Catholic. It’s nice to have some breaks though. Too bad I don’t even have school on this day anyway so it doesn’t matter.

I worked on homework all day while drinking viez, which is apple wine. I felt like the slowest worker ever. How could I only come up with two designs in the span of a whole day? I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I think I think too much. I thought of the seniors who are graduating very soon and was sad that I wouldn’t have a final good bye or a good luck; also felt sad that the end is near for me too. School will be over very soon. I will be leaving Europe some day. Everything is so short-lived. After school, the future just seems like a blur and it’s scaring me… but I know I will be okay.

Day 66 (05.10.13): Filled with Thoughts I just woke up and it seems I am sleeping in more and more. Usually I sleep 6 hours at most and automatically wake up. It’s so weird being able to sleep and not feel stressed all the time. However, I do have very bad anxiety from it and I’ve realized it now. I’m always freaking out over things and should learn to appreciate or take a breather. That is what Germany, or Europe in general, has taught me so far.

Travelling also helps a lot and I always gain new insights.

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My roommates and I planned a trip together in Venice and Rome, I took a train and they biked from Trier to Rome.

MY WONDERFUL ROOMMATES I had a horrible time finding roommates or place to live. I went through over ninety different ads and multiple Skype meetings. Of course, I preferred to live with females because it seemed dangerous to live with a guy abroad, but when

least I would wash the dishes or cut

it came down to it I had no choice but to live with males. My mother didn’t feel

the vegetables since I wasn’t a great

safe at all, especially because I am the only child, but I reassured her that I could

cook, watching movies, and traveling

do this and that it was a normal thing. I had the option of living with one guy who

together. We gave each other fun names

lived farther from the school or living closer with two guys who were older than me

like Chimpanzee for Mitch, Orangutan

by many years; I chose the latter. It worked out very well for me because what I

for Stefan, and Chimpangatan for me.

didn’t know was that they would become my closest friends and they taught me

I learned a lot from my roommates

so much of the world around me. I had the best roommates that anyone could ever

who were always a great inspiration in

have; we became the metaphorical modern family.

everything they did. Once they tried to see if they could live off little money, by

My two roommates were Michael, whom we called Mitch, and Stefan. Both

collecting plastic bottles and recycling

welcomed me with open arms into their household. They were thrilled to have

it. They really did it too and made it

an international flat; they wanted to practice their American English and we all

into the newspaper. They also started

could become more open minded. We shared many great moments cooking, or at

an expedition by bike from Germany to Italy and I met up with them near the end of their trip.

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LIST OF MOVIES I watched with my roommates

+ My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown Christy Brown is a spastic quadriplegic born to a large, poor Irish family. His mother recognizes the intelligence and humanity in the lad everyone else regards as a vegetable.

Eventually, Christy matures into a writer and artist who uses his only functional limb, his left foot, to paint and write with.

+ Hitchcock A love story between influential filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock and wife Alma Reville during the filming of Psycho in 1959.

+ 007 Skyfall Bond’s loyalty to M is tested when her past haunts her. Whilst MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

+ A Royal Affair A young queen, who is married to an insane king, falls secretly in love with her physician—and together they start a revolution that changes a nation forever.

Mitch would always question me in everything and I didn’t expect it sometimes. He helped me learn more about myself and how isolated I was from the world outside. He always told me his values and news that I never knew, because both of my roommates read newspapers everyday. Both of my roommates were extremely knowledgeable in the matters of the world, politics, entertainment, and history. I’m so glad that I met them because they have forever left a great impression in my life. I have never met anyone like them, and I hope that I can be an inspiration to those around me too.

+ Knockin’ on Heaven’s door Two terminal cancer patients leave their hospital beds and decide to take one last trip to the sea. However, the car they’ve stolen belongs to two thieves and contains a million marks. Soon they’re being pursued by both thugs and cops.

+ Cloud Atlas An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution.

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Bailey, Ali, and I cheered for Mitch and Shannon’s half marathon.

TRAVEL AND BONDING Day 68 (05.12.13): Mother’s Day! I woke up at 9:30 AM to get ready for a mother’s day dinner at Mitch’s parent’s house. It was great because we went about 20 minutes out into the suburbs and I got to see where he grew up. The house was beautiful and it was a real house, not a flat. My first German house! His family was very sweet to me and his mom is an excellent cook! I was sad because I didn’t have any gifts to bring because we made the decision for me to join so last minute. We had a wonderful meal of schnitzel, cordon bleu schnitzel, gravy sauce (I don’t know, but it was like gravy and had mushrooms in it), peas and carrots in sauce (this was my favorite), baked potatoes and for dessert we had a wonderful strawberry cake or maybe it was a strawberry tiramisu. All ingredients for a good day!

Mitch’s dad drove us back home and I got to go on the autobahn. He drove so fast in his car it was about 180 km/hr or whatever which is about 111 mph! We also got our picture taken after we got off the autobahn for speeding. It seems that everything is automated, so no police officers needed to be patrolling the highway. When we got into town we biked home, but then it suddenly started to pour. I was biking in the pouring rain and it sucked.

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Day 115 to 117 (06.28.13 – 06.30.13): Altstadt Fest & The Amazing Race!

I spent the rest of this month working on school. I had to finish everything before July 11th because I was leaving to Italy on the 12th. My roommates were leaving the flat to me for about a week or so because they were starting their bike tour from Germany to Italy on July 1st. They are crazy, but extremely inspiring. This weekend was the Altstadt Festival in Trier. Originally I wasn’t planning on going out because I had so much work to complete, but I went and it was worth it. The entire city center was filled with people from all over and there were about seven or so live performances scattered throughout. I don’t go to festivals very often and Germans seem to love it. There were carnival rides, yummy food & drinks, games, and more. I really enjoyed the experience of a festival. It lowered my stress and cleared my mind, so when I went back to design I wasn’t as tense and anxious. The final day of the festival was Trier’s half marathon! Shannon and Mitch were taking part in this, so of course Bailey and I had to support them! I ended up spending the night at Bailey’s because I forgot my keys at home. This is the first time I’ve ever forgotten my keys since I’ve been in Trier! I couldn’t go home because it was very late. The next morning we didn’t catch Mitch at the finish line and almost missed Shannon,

I ndependenc E J uice R E C I P E :

but luckily Bailey spotted her.

Day 118 to 128 (07.01.13 – 07.11.13): Fourth of July & Other Events!

Here is a spiked drink I created in Trier

During this time all the days jumbled together. I’m not

that

your

really sure of anything that went on except I was definitely

Independence Day abroad! It can be made

working hard on my projects, and I tried my best to balance

with or without alcohol.

going out with it too. On Independence Day, I hosted a BBQ

is

perfect

for

celebrating

at my flat because by now my roommates started their bike

+ 1 cup of Amaretto Liquor + 1 cup of Pineapple Juice

tour and the place was all mine. Besides the BBQ, I went out to a club once, and it was the hottest place I’ve ever been in. I had rivers flowing down my arms! We couldn’t stay too

+ Chopped Pineapple chunks

long because it was so hot… Also joined a few picnics and

+ Slices of Lime

went out to eat with other Erasmus students as a goodbye

+ Slices or Lemon

dinner. It was sad, but nice. There was also an end of the year Luxembourg mini gathering. We had to turn in our work

+ Diced strawberries

again and they bribed us to come to the design building with

+ Ginger Ale

some yummy crepes.

+ Orange Fanta

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TSCHÜSS Trierer

“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” ddehs .a nhoj— Trier will always be a second home to me, and it was my home for five short months. I made wonderful life-long friends and learned a lot about myself and the world around me. The experiences I had in Trier will never be replaced. Now that I am back in school, I have a mission to promote studying abroad. I believe that everyone should take the chance out of their comfort zone and explore the world. Although not everyone is infected with wanderlust, everyone should live in another city at least once in their lives. Living somewhere outside of the United States has taught me more about myself and my own country than I would have ever known.

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FINANCIAL AID

SPOTLIGHT

Benjamin a. gilman scholarship Financial aid was a huge obstacle for me since I have a single mother who couldn’t fully support me in my ambitions abroad; fortunately, there was hope. I applied for the Office of Study Abroad scholarships and the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship. I worked hard to write my essays and didn’t think I would get much. To my surprise I received both the Collins’ and Gilman scholarships, which combined could be considered a full ride scholarship. I was and still am extremely thankful.

Not too long ago, I told a colleague to study abroad if he had the chance. He gave me nothing but excuses why he couldn’t go, but there were no valid reasons not to go unless it was his own willingness or in getting financial aid. I couldn’t stand by and let my friend miss a great opportunity. Studying abroad could potentially change his life and perspective. People say they can travel after graduating school, but there is nothing that can replace studying abroad and the camaraderie built between classmates I was generally never close to.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Studying abroad provided me with an opportunity to get out of my comfort zone, break my bad habits, and learn the importance of curiosity. I grew to understand myself, build up tolerance, and appreciate why my mother left her mainland to start a new life for me. As a creative person, it helped replenish my mind with new inspirations and see situations in a different light. People can always find reasons not to go, but everything can be rebutted with a better reason to go. I lived in another country for five months, but I wish I stayed longer. My friend still has a long time to make the decision to study abroad. Whether it is for two weeks, a summer, a semester, or a whole year, I want to encourage him and many others to go out of their comfort zone and try something new for the first time.

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JAN DURINA images

are

mirrors

of

his

own

inner

reality,

+

“His

autobiographical maps of his physical and mental location.

ART

M U SIC

PHOTOGRAPHER

Fascinated by the nature and natural absurdity of life itself, Durina explores his tense feelings in his images and takes us on a feral, emotive, visual, and conceptual journey through his contrast-filled world. From this, you can hear silent screams of broken beauty or be charmed by the still gestures of an anxiety that is domesticated but cruel.�

While in Luxembourg on an experimental design

I chose to showcase Jan in this issue as he is such a

trip, I met an artist named Jan Durina. His work touches

versatile artist. I think it is quite an amazing thing when one

many

fashion,

can create in a variety of worlds and mediums. To express

painting, drawing and performance, but his main focus

yourself in a pure and truthful way while taking into full

is photography. A recurring theme in his subjects is the

consideration aesthetics, visuals and message is something

nude figure in a landscape, in nature. Jan uses friends and

I choose to promote in Bloom and Jan does this fantastically.

different

mediums,

such

as

music,

acquantinces as models in his work, while also creating self-portraits. He knows many people in the art world in Europe, musicians, bands and fashion designers. For these other artists, he uses his own creative strengths to help them. He not only photographs these musical connections, he also creates music for the fashion shows of his friends.

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Born: 09/28/91 Insiprations: Marina Abramovic, Goldfrapp, His mother, Martu, his dog

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AS YOU ARE TRAVELING THROUGHOUT EUROPE, you will notice how many differences there are between each culture and country. It varies from traditional greetings to appropriate dress. In bigger cities, the culture may be slightly adapted to accommodate tourists. Every person will always have a different experience; however, these are the staples for particular countries that every traveler should know before

COUNTRY TO COUNTRY

CULTURE

+

SO C IETY

arriving to their destination.

>> GERMANY

>> FRANCE

Contradictory to the general stereotype,

The country of France, especially near

The Irish are very friendly people.

most Germans are actually very friendly

Paris, is big on fashion. To fit in better

They are always cheerful, and very

and helpful.

When you are walking

and look less like a tourist, wear some

conversational

down the street, they won’t make eye

more fashionable clothes; if you’re a

you need it.

contact or smile, which is typical in

female, consider wearing a dress. When

history, and nationals are very proud of

American culture.

This may come

meeting others, the French (as well as

it. Their culture is very Americanized

off as “rude,” but in reality that is

a few other countries) will kiss on each

compared to much of Europe, so there

their way of keeping to themselves.

cheek. Don’t get caught off guard! A

aren’t many differences that will catch

Don’t expect to see many Germans

lot of the French do not speak English,

you off guard. The national language

wearing shorts, even in the summer.

so it would be wise to learn a few

is English, but sometimes you may

Although it may seem a thing of the

important French phrases before going.

find yourself having a hard time

and

helpful

when

Ireland has a very rich

past, there are still many Nazi activists

understanding someone with a very

in Germany. Be aware that you may

heavy Irish accent.

run across propaganda or the activist groups in the streets.

Yes, there are live Irish bands playing Irish music in almost every pub that you visit in Dublin!

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>> IRELAND

H O W D O I S AY. . .

HELLO german....................... french......................... greek.......................... italian......................... spanish......................

THANK YOU hallo! bonjour! yassou! ciao! hola!

HA-low bone-joor YA-soo chow OH-la

danke schon merci efkharisto grazie gracias

DA-nke shoon mer-SEE eff-car-ee-STOH GRAT-see-eh GRA-cee-es

tschuss ciao yassou ciao adios

CHOO-s chow YAH-soo chow AH-dee-os

GOODBYE

PLEASE german....................... french......................... greek.......................... italian......................... spanish......................

german....................... french......................... greek.......................... italian......................... spanish......................

gefallen s’il vous plaît parakaló̱ per favore por favor

geh-FAH-len see-voo-play pah-rah-kah-LOH per fav-OR-eh por FA-vor

german....................... french......................... greek.......................... italian......................... spanish......................

Scarves are a great versatile accessory to have for covering your shoulders in churches.

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>>

ITALY In most of the popular areas of Italy, there are lots of guys out in the street that will implore you to come inside their restaurant. Try not to go to these places because they will usually be more expensive and the quality will not be as good. Have fun navigating the backstreets for hidden gems!

There

will usually be an extra service charge if you decide to sit down at a restaurant in most restaurants in Italy. When you order any sort of coffee, expect it to be in small portions. If you are visiting churches, you may need to stick to a dress code, which is usually covered knees and shoulders.

>>

ENGLAND There is a wide variety of ethnicities that you can expect to see in England.

Pounds are used as the national currency, so expect to exchange those euros. However, some places, though rare, may accept euros as payment.

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Always obey the traffic signals no matter what country you’re in! The streets are usually very busy and can be dangerous if you’re not careful.

Germans love their beer and they know how to have a good time! Go to a German festival if you get the chance. They occur frequently.

>> GREECE

>> SPAIN

The country of Greece is generally

Compared to most other countries in

very relaxed and laid back. Greeks are

Europe, Spain is the least familiar with

very animated and personable, though

English. Again, in bigger tourist areas

some could be very blunt with you. It

there will be more English speakers,

is considered rude to leave unfinished

but you will find it very helpful to learn

plates of food when you are eating out,

a little before arriving. Be aware that

unless you are intending to have it

you may need to fit a dress code in

boxed up and taken with you. This goes

order to visit certain churches.

for alcohol as well, when it is served in

usually means covered knees and

pitchers. It is better to have bottled

shoulders. Most businesses will close

water with you for drinking. The tap

in the afternoon for a few hours and

water shouldn’t make you sick, but it

reopen again for the evening, so it

really isn’t the best, especially if you

would be smart to plan your day around

are visiting one of the islands.

that. The crime rate is high in Spain;

This

take very careful precautions with your money and valuables.

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TSCHUSS doesn’t always mean good bye, but can mean see you later, so tune in for next month’s magazine where we will explore four different countries and share our findings with you! Here are some words from what our BloOmers learned during this issue’s visit.

COLLEEN IRELAND I learned how beautiful it can be to get lost, and all the amazing and unexpected experiences you come across in the process when you don’t know exactly where you’re going.

VORANOUTH SUPADULYA I learned a lot about tolerance, patience, and understanding. The most important thing I learned was how to live a little and enjoy life in the present time.

BAILEY WELLS I learned about how much in common I have with people from all over the world. Everyone has different life stories but we can always relate to one another in our pursut of happiness.

JOHN REYNOLDS This experience taught me many things that are hard to briefly describe.. But one is that being yourself is the greatest thing you can do. I met many people abroad who inspired me to do this very thing and it has definitely changed my life.

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